If you haven't figured it out already the first few circuits ( simplest field phone) lend them selves well to quick assembly after the SHTF. All you need is a few handsets, battery's, switches and wire to throw them together.
They would be most useful say over a few 1000 ft from an O.P. to the C.P. better than radio as there is no possibility of intercept unless the enemy has access to the wire and a phone to connect to it to monitor with. You can of course build several sets in advance of needing them (which would be what I recommend). That could be as simple as screwing the bits to a small board or going to the trouble of getting small boxes made for electronic equipment and assembling a more finished device with a PTT and call switches, a battery holder, electronic buzzer and 5 way binding posts for the line. These could be small and much lighter than conventional sets, as they aren't built to military specs nor do they necessarily need to be. Remember they don't need to be perfect, they just need to be good enough.
In the near future I plan to cover 1) wire (a truly vast subject), 2) high voltage signaling circuits (schematics), 3) voice networks (more schematics), 4) specific Military field phones, (principally the EE-8, TA- 43 and TA -312 and the TP-1). and 5) a build an inexpensive knock off of the EE-8 with more modern components. I also will share an inexpensive and simple way to leverage your wiring to allow it to double as a circuit for data networking between computers.
I encourage people with specific questions to go ahead and ask them so I can address those issues in upcoming posts.
If there is sufficient interest I can assemble kits for people to buy so as to fabricate their own phones, baring that I can supply the URLs for companies where you may buy the parts yourself.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Signaling
In all the previous descriptions of "field telephones" signaling between phones has used a DC voltage. While simple to design and use, alas it isn't employed except in very specialized applications like E&M signaling which is some times used between commercial PBX's. Also it it incompatible with most all commercial and military equipment you are likely to encounter.
That brings us to AC signaling which come in two principal flavors. 1) high voltage direct signaling: IE a 70-100 volt 20-30 Hz signal wich directly activates the the ringer ( or clacker) in a phone, and 2) low voltage audio tones (not unlike the familiar "touch tones" we all know) which are detected in the phone and in turn activates the alerting device ( speaker, or handset element) in the phone.
All commercial phones fall into the first category (except for not having a built in ringing generator), as do many military sets like the EE8, TA43, TA312, and the TA1040 ( from Sweden, and those German units that periodically become available).
Units that fall in to the second category are the TA341, TA838 and the TA1042 ( incidentally these set will also work on the civilian net work as well, when configured for it)
Field phones in the first category incorporate a built in ringing generator, usually hand operated, though the TA1040 has an electronic ring generator for signaling other phones or a switch board.
( see the first illustration)
Field Phones in the second group are some times multifunctional, in that they can be used for point to point communications using internal tone generators and detectors, or they can be switched over for use on a "analog" type military PBX or used on the civilian network.
( see the second illustration)
It should be noted that the second category using internal tone detection and generation are on at all times as that the tone detector is always waiting to receive a signal indicating an incoming call, this constant battery drain may affect battery life. Also note that this type of phone has a some what more complicated internal circuit, and that this mode of operation is not compatible with civilian equipment when used in the "point to point" mode.
You may encounter some other military type sets such as the TA954, and the TA1035, these are "Digital Field Phones" and can only be used on special "Digital" Military PBX's and are not useful for our purposes
(nice to look at but expensive paper weights).
The advantages of AC signaling over DC is practicably improved range ( The EE8 could communicate 26 miles under ideal conditions) and better compatibility with civilian equipment. For the purposed of this blog we will focus principally on direct AC signaling.
In the near future I will describe a DC powered (3-6v) ringing generator you can build, largely out of 1 off the shelf module and a few other discreet components, as well as several "voice networks" that can be built from of the shelf components as well.
Dr.D III
That brings us to AC signaling which come in two principal flavors. 1) high voltage direct signaling: IE a 70-100 volt 20-30 Hz signal wich directly activates the the ringer ( or clacker) in a phone, and 2) low voltage audio tones (not unlike the familiar "touch tones" we all know) which are detected in the phone and in turn activates the alerting device ( speaker, or handset element) in the phone.
All commercial phones fall into the first category (except for not having a built in ringing generator), as do many military sets like the EE8, TA43, TA312, and the TA1040 ( from Sweden, and those German units that periodically become available).
Units that fall in to the second category are the TA341, TA838 and the TA1042 ( incidentally these set will also work on the civilian net work as well, when configured for it)
Field phones in the first category incorporate a built in ringing generator, usually hand operated, though the TA1040 has an electronic ring generator for signaling other phones or a switch board.
( see the first illustration)
Field Phones in the second group are some times multifunctional, in that they can be used for point to point communications using internal tone generators and detectors, or they can be switched over for use on a "analog" type military PBX or used on the civilian network.
( see the second illustration)
It should be noted that the second category using internal tone detection and generation are on at all times as that the tone detector is always waiting to receive a signal indicating an incoming call, this constant battery drain may affect battery life. Also note that this type of phone has a some what more complicated internal circuit, and that this mode of operation is not compatible with civilian equipment when used in the "point to point" mode.
You may encounter some other military type sets such as the TA954, and the TA1035, these are "Digital Field Phones" and can only be used on special "Digital" Military PBX's and are not useful for our purposes
(nice to look at but expensive paper weights).
The advantages of AC signaling over DC is practicably improved range ( The EE8 could communicate 26 miles under ideal conditions) and better compatibility with civilian equipment. For the purposed of this blog we will focus principally on direct AC signaling.
In the near future I will describe a DC powered (3-6v) ringing generator you can build, largely out of 1 off the shelf module and a few other discreet components, as well as several "voice networks" that can be built from of the shelf components as well.
Dr.D III
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